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Pysanky: Ukraine's centuries-old easter egg tradition

Pysanky: Ukraine's centuries-old easter egg tradition

In the days before Orthodox Easter in Soviet times, one Ukrainian historical researcher recalls children being lined up, their hands inspected for signs of forbidden dye. Teachers were searching for any sign that the children’s families had secretly celebrated the Christian holiday by decorating traditional Ukrainian Easter eggs, or pysanky as they're known in Ukrainian. "Making pysanky was banned… Anyone caught with dye stains was punished," recalled Yaroslava Muzychenko, a researcher at the
Consolidation and capital: The new era of Ukrainian defense tech

Consolidation and capital: The new era of Ukrainian defense tech

A party at a swanky downtown Kyiv restaurant feels a world away from the front lines of Russia's war against Ukraine. Yet its guests — defense analysts, consultants, and arms producers — are nonetheless shaping how the war is fought. The event's host was Skadi Law, a new firm focusing exclusively on Ukraine's fast-growing defense tech sector. Its arrival is not an isolated story, but part of a broader trend: an expanding network of venture capital funds, accelerators, consultancies, and media c
Trump meets NATO chief as US mulls withdrawal from alliance
 (Updated:  

Trump meets NATO chief as US mulls withdrawal from alliance

"This was a meeting between friends," Rutte said after the meeting, praising Trump's leadership. The administration is reportedly weighing a proposal to pull U.S. troops out of NATO member countries that did not support the war in Iran.
Trump administration is trying to reverse Kissinger, and even Kissinger is probably rolling in his grave
Opinion

Trump administration is trying to reverse Kissinger, and even Kissinger is probably rolling in his grave

For years, an idea has percolated among certain Western officials that the best way to break the burgeoning partnership between Russia and China is to appease Moscow, including to the point of choking off all support for Ukraine. Known colloquially as the "reverse Kissinger," it is an idea that builds on U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger's efforts in the early 1970s to peel Beijing away from Moscow. As the theory goes, it is only in offering Moscow what it wants — sanctions relief, new i
Historian Serhii Plokhy on Russian imperialism, de-colonization, and why Putin is so obsessed with Ukraine
Interview

Historian Serhii Plokhy on Russian imperialism, de-colonization, and why Putin is so obsessed with Ukraine

Even before Russia launched its full-scale war in 2022, it set the groundwork by establishing distorted narratives about its “rightful” claim to Ukraine. Misunderstandings about empire, identity, and the legacies of both the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union still shape Western views of Russia — and Ukraine — today. While these narratives aren’t as instantly lethal as Russian drones and missiles, they’re designed to serve the same purpose — hurting Ukraine, often in ways that reach far beyond
Fact-check: How Kremlin disinformation targets Hungary's election

Fact-check: How Kremlin disinformation targets Hungary's election

As Hungary heads into a high-stakes election, Moscow has deployed its propaganda and disinformation machine to bolster its preferred candidate. Viktor Orban, Hungary's Kremlin-friendly strongman, faces a real chance of defeat on April 12 that could end his 16-year grip on power. For weeks, Russian propagandists and bot networks have pushed falsehoods about alleged attempts by Brussels and Kyiv to sway the vote, or even steal it in a "Maidan-style coup." The methods deployed by Kremlin disinfo
Ukraine war latest: Hungary claims new ‘evidence’ in seized Ukrainian bank convoy case, Oschadbank calls it fabricated

Ukraine war latest: Hungary claims new ‘evidence’ in seized Ukrainian bank convoy case, Oschadbank calls it fabricated

Key developments on April 8: * Hungary claims new ‘evidence’ in seized Ukrainian bank convoy case, Oschadbank calls it fabricated * Russia hits Kharkiv Oblast oil refinery, causing 'significant' damage * Ukraine welcomes US–Iran ceasefire, says time to push Russia too * Attacks, threats against journalists in Ukraine surge in 2025 Hungary claimed on April 8 that it had new "evidence" that the Ukrainian bank convoy it seized earlier in March was part of a money laundering operation. Hungar
Ukraine's reform push underwhelms with billions in aid on the line
 (Updated:  

Ukraine's reform push underwhelms with billions in aid on the line

Editor's note: this article was updated to include comments from the European Commission. Ukraine's parliament made scant progress on several reforms tied to funding from international partners during a highly anticipated parliamentary session on April 7–8. Ukraine has missed deadlines on a range of reforms tied to international financing over the past year. Lawmakers attempted to gain momentum during this week's plenary session, yet were only able to pass one of four new taxes required by th
Lessons learned from Ukrainian Defense, Industry, & Innovation — event from KI Insights
Business

The Ukraine Model: Lessons in Defense, Industry, & Innovation — presentation by KI Insights

Why are Ukrainian drones proving so effective on the battlefield? Can this experience be replicated elsewhere — particularly in the Gulf? And where are the real opportunities for investors in this rapidly evolving ecosystem? As war in the Middle East reshapes global threat perceptions and procurement priorities, attention is increasingly turning to Ukraine — not just as a battlefield, but as a leading producer and testing ground for cost-effective, rapidly deployable defense technologies. Ukrai